The present invention relates to an agent for controlling animal diseases caused by parasites, which contains, as an active ingredient, a specific imidazole compound. Such an agent for controlling animal diseases is useful, for example, as an agent for controlling parasites such as coccidia which are parasitic on animals.
Heretofore, various pest controlling agents or insecticides have been employed against parasites parasitic on animals such as domestic animals, domestic poultry or companion animals. For example, for controlling coccidia which are endobiotic protozoa belonging to genus Eimeria and which are widely distributed among various domestic animals and domestic poultry such as chickens, sulfa drugs; quinolines; anti-thiamine drugs; polyether antibiotics such as monensin, salinomycin and lasalocid; and nicarbazin as a synthetic agent, have widely been used.
Further, the specific imidazole compound which is used as an active ingredient of the agent for controlling animal diseases of the present invention, is a known compound disclosed in e.g. JP-A-1-131163, JP-A-63-255269, etc. However, it has not been known to use such compound as an agent for controlling animal diseases.
Usually, an animal disease caused by parasites will result from parasitism of the parasites on or in the body of a host animal. The parasites which cause an animal disease, are parasitic on the body surface, stomach, intestinal tract, lung, heart, liver, blood vessels, subcutis or lymphatic tissues of domestic animals, domestic poultry or companion animals, and are likely to bring about serious problems in many cases. Animal diseases caused by parasites are likely to bring about anemia, malnutrition, asthenia, weight loss, or disorder of intestinal tract walls or other tissues or organs, and if left untreated, hosts infested with the parasites are likely to die.
Further, coccidiosis which is one of animal diseases caused by parasites, presents a serious economical loss particularly to poultry industry. Further, this is one of diseases which are problematic in breeding not only poultry but also cattle, sheep, rabbits, dogs and cats. Therefore, control of coccidiosis will bring about a substantial benefit to the poultry industry, lively stock industry and breeding of companion animals. On the basis of such a concept, the present invention provides an agent for controlling animal diseases caused by parasites.
The present inventors have conducted an extensive research for compounds which are capable of controlling animal diseases, particularly coccidiosis, caused by parasites. As a result, they have found that a certain specific imidazole compound which is known to have an agricultural application, has an effect for controlling animal diseases caused by parasites, and the present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this discovery.
Namely, the present invention provides an agent for controlling animal diseases caused by parasites, which contains, as an active ingredient, an imidazole compound represented by the formula (I): 
wherein R1 is a cyano group, a 
group or a 
group {wherein each of R5 and R6 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl group which may be substituted, an alkynyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an aryl group which may be substituted, or a xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94R7 group (wherein R7 is an alkyl group which may be substituted, an alkoxy group which may be substituted, or an aryl group which may be substituted)},
each of R2 and R3 is a hydrogen atom; a halogen atom; a hydroxyl group; a nitro group; a cyano group; a thiocyanate group; a trimethylsilyl group; an alkyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted; an alkenyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkenyl group which may be substituted; an alkynyl group which may be substituted; an alkoxy group which may be substituted; a cycloalkyloxy group which may be substituted; an alkenyloxy group which may be substituted; a cycloalkenyloxy group which may be substituted; an alkynyloxy group which may be substituted; an aryl group which may be substituted; an aryloxy group which may be substituted; a 5- or 6-membered aromatic heterocyclic group which may be substituted; a xe2x80x94SOnR8 group {wherein R8 is an alkyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted; an alkenyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkenyl group which may be substituted; an alkynyl group which may be substituted; an aryl group which may be substituted; a pyridyl group which may be substituted, or a xe2x80x94N(R9)R10 group (wherein each of R9 and R10 is an alkyl group), and n is an integer of from 0 to 2}; or a 
group (wherein W1 is an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, W2 is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94, m is an integer of from 0 to 1, and R11 is an alkyl group which may be substituted; or an aryl group which may be substituted),
R4 is an alkyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted; an aryl group which may be substituted; a thienyl group which may be substituted; a furyl group which may be substituted; or a xe2x80x94N(R12)R13 group (wherein each of R12 and R13 is a hydrogen atom; an alkyl group which may be substituted; or an alkenyl group which may be substituted, or they form, together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, a 5- to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic group, provided that a case where R12 and R13 are simultaneously hydrogen atoms, is excluded),
provided that a case where R2 and R3 are simultaneously hydrogen atoms, is excluded.
In the formula (I), the alkyl moiety contained in R2 to R13 may be one having a carbon number of from 1 to 12, and it may, for example, be a methyl group, an ethyl group, a n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, a sec-butyl group, an isobutyl group, a tert-butyl group, a n-pentyl group, a n-hexyl group, a heptyl group, an octyl group, a nonyl group or a decyl group. The cycloalkyl group represented by R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R8, may be one having a carbon number of from 3 to 7, and it may, for example, be a cyclopropyl group, a cyclobutyl group, a cyclopentyl group or a cyclohexyl group. The alkenyl group contained in R2, R3, R8, R12 and R13, may be one having a carbon number of from 2 to 12, and it may, for example, be an allyl group or a geranyl group. The cycloalkenyl group represented by R2, R3 and R8 may be one having a carbon number of from 5 to 8, and it may, for example, be a cyclopentenyl group, a cyclohexenyl group or a cyclooctenyl group. The alkynyl group contained in R2, R3 and R8 may be one having a carbon number of from 2 to 12, and it may, for example, be a 2-propynyl group.
The aryl group which may be substituted, represented by R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and R11, or the aryl moiety of the aryloxy group which may be substituted, represented by R2 and R3, may, for example, be a phenyl group or a naphthyl group. The aryl group for R2, R3 and R8 is preferably a phenyl group or a naphthyl group. The aryl group for R4, R5, R6, R7 and R11 is preferably a phenyl group. The aryloxy group which may be substituted, represented by R2 and R3, is preferably a phenoxy group. The 5- or 6-membered aromatic heterocyclic group which may be substituted, represented by R2 and R3, may be one containing at least one hetero atom selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a nitrogen atom, in its ring, and it may, for example, be a thienyl group which may be substituted, a furyl group which may be substituted, a thiazolyl group which may be substituted, or a pyridyl group which may be substituted.
The substituent for the alkyl group which may be substituted, represented by R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R11, R12 and R13; the cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, represented by R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R8; the alkenyl group which may be substituted, represented by R2, R3, R5, R6, R8, R12 and R13; the alkynyl group which may be substituted, represented by R2, R3, R5, R6 and R8; the alkoxy group which may be substituted, represented by R2 and R3; the alkenyloxy group which may be substituted, the alkynyloxy group which may be substituted, the cycloalkyloxy group which may be substituted, and the cycloalkenyloxy group which may be substituted, represented by R2, R3 and R7, in the above formula (I), may, for example, be a halogen atom; an alkoxy group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; an alkylthio group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a phenyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a phenyl group substituted by an alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; or a hydroxyl group. The substituent for the aryl group which may be substituted, represented by R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and R11; the aryloxy group which may be substituted, represented by R2 and R3; the pyridyl group which may be substituted, represented by R8; the thienyl group which may be substituted, represented by R4; the furyl group which may be substituted, represented by R4; and the 5- or 6-membered aromatic heterocyclic group which may be substituted, represented by R2 and R3, may, for example, be a halogen atom; a nitro group; a cyano group; an alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; an alkoxyalkyl group; an alkoxy group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a methylenedioxy group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a xe2x80x94NR14R15 group (wherein each of R14 and R15 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom, or an alkanoyl group); or a xe2x80x94SOpR16 group (wherein R16 is an alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom, and p is an integer of from 0 to 2). The number of such secondary substituents is preferably from 0 to 5. The halogen atom contained in the above R2 to R8 and R11 to R16 may be a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a fluorine atom or an iodine atom. The alkyl moiety contained in the above R14 to R16 and the after mentioned R17, may be the same one as the alkyl moiety contained in the above R2 to R13.
Further, R12 and R13 may, together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, form a 5- to 7-membered saturated hetero ring which may contain an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or a nitrogen atom, such as a piperidine ring, a pyrrolidine ring, a morpholine ring or a thiomorpholine ring.
Among the imidazole compounds of the above formula (I), preferred embodiments will be given below.
(1) The compound represented by the above formula (I), wherein R1 is a cyano group, a 
group or a 
group {wherein each of R5 and R6 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a phenyl group which may be substituted, or a xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94R7 group (wherein R7 is an alkyl group which may be substituted, or a phenyl group which may be substituted)},
each of R2 and R3 is a hydrogen atom; a halogen atom; a nitro group; a cyano group; a thiocyanate group; a trimethylsilyl group; an alkyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted; an alkenyl group which may be substituted; an alkynyl group which may be substituted; an alkoxy group which may be substituted; a phenoxy group which may be substituted; a phenyl group which may be substituted; a naphthyl group which may be substituted; a 5- or 6-membered aromatic heterocyclic group which may be substituted; a xe2x80x94SOnR8 group {wherein R8 is an alkyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted; an alkenyl group which may be substituted; an alkynyl group which may be substituted; a phenyl group which may be substituted; a pyridyl group which may be substituted; a xe2x80x94N(R9)R10 group (wherein each of R9 and R10 is an alkyl group), or a naphthyl group which may be substituted, and n is an integer of from 0 to 2}; or a 
group (wherein W1 is an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, W2 is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94, m is an integer of from 0 to 1, and R11 is an alkyl group which may be substituted; or a phenyl group which may be substituted),
R4 is an alkyl group which may be substituted; a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted; a phenyl group which may be substituted; a thienyl group which may be substituted; a furyl group which may be substituted; or a xe2x80x94N(R12)R13 group (wherein each of R12 and R13 is a hydrogen atom; an alkyl group which may be substituted; or an alkenyl group which may be substituted, or they form, together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, a 5- to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic group, provided that a case where R12 and R13 are simultaneously hydrogen atoms, is excluded).
(2) The compound of (1), wherein R1 is a cyano group or a xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90S)NHR5 group (wherein R5 is a hydrogen atom or a xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)R7 group, and R7 is an alkyl group).
(3) The compound of (1), wherein R1 is a cyano group.
(4) The compound of (1), (2) or (3), wherein each of R2 and R3 is a hydrogen atom; a halogen atom; a nitro group; a cyano group; an alkyl group; an alkyl group substituted by a halogen atom; an alkyl group substituted by an alkoxy group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; an alkyl group substituted by a phenyl group; an alkyl group substituted by a phenyl group which is substituted by an alkyl group; an alkyl group substituted by a phenyl group which is substituted by a halogen atom; an alkyl group substituted by a hydroxyl group; a cycloalkyl group; an alkenyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; an alkoxy group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a phenyl group; a phenyl group substituted by a halogen atom; a phenyl group substituted by an alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a phenyl group substituted by an alkoxy group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a thienyl group; a thienyl group substituted by a halogen atom; a pyridyl group; a furyl group; a xe2x80x94S(O)nR8 group {wherein R8 is an alkyl group which may be substituted by a phenyl group; a phenyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; a pyridyl group which may be substituted by an alkyl group substituted by a halogen atom; an alkenyl group, or a xe2x80x94NR9R10 group (wherein each of R9 and R10 is an alkyl group), and n is an integer of from 0 to 2}; or xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94(NH)mR11 (wherein R11 is an alkyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; or a phenyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom, and m is an integer of from 0 to 1).
(5) The compound of (1), (2) or (3), wherein R2 is an alkyl group; an alkyl group substituted by a halogen atom; an alkyl group substituted by a phenyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; an alkenyl group which may be substituted by a halogen atom; an alkylthio group; a phenyl group; or a phenyl group substituted by a halogen atom, and R3 is a halogen atom. Further preferably, R2 is a methyl group, an ethyl group, a n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, an isobutyl group, a n-pentyl group, a 3-chloro-n-propyl group, a 4-chloro-n-butyl group, an allyl group, an ethylthio group, a phenyl group, a 2-chlorophenyl group, a 2-fluorophenyl group, a benzyl group or a 2-fluorobenzyl group, and R3 is a chlorine atom or a bromine atom.
(6) The compound of (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5), wherein R4 is a xe2x80x94N(CH3)2 group.
(7) The compound of (1), wherein R1 is a cyano group, R2 is an alkyl group which may be substituted, or a phenyl group which may be substituted, R3 is a chlorine atom, and R4 is a dimethylamino group.
A particularly preferred imidazole compound is the compound of the above-preferred embodiment (7), which includes the following compounds.
4-chloro-2-cyano-1-dimethylsulfamoyl-5-(4-methylphenyl)imidazole (compound No. 1)
4-chloro-2-cyano-1-dimethylsulfamoyl-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazole (compound No. 2)
4-chloro-2-cyano-1-dimethylsulfamoyl-5-(4-ethylphenyl)imidazole (compound No. 3)
4-chloro-2-cyano-1-dimethylsulfamoyl-5-(3-methyl-4-methoxyphenyl)imidazole (compound No. 4)
4-chloro-2-cyano-1-dimethylsulfamoyl-5-(4-ethyl-xcex1-fluorobenzyl)imidazole (compound No. 5)
The imidazole compound of the above formula (I) can be prepared by methods disclosed in e.g. JP-A-1-131163 and JP-A-8-208623.
The agent for controlling animal diseases caused by parasites of the present invention is effective against (1) parasites parasitic on the exterior of a host animal, such as, acarus, such as mange mite, mesostigmatid mites, sarcoptic mange mite (Sarcoptes scabiei), trombiculid mites, New Zealand cattle tick (Haemaphyalis longicornis) and southern cattle tick (Boophilus microplus); fleas such as cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis), northern rat flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus), oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) and human flea (Pulex irritans); sucking lice such as short-nosed cattle louse (Haematopinus eurysternus), horse sucking louse (Haematopinus asini), sheep lice, long-nosed cattle louse (Linognathus vituli) and head louse (Pediculus capitis); biting lice such as dog biting louse (Trichodectes canis); blood-sucking dipterous insects such as horse fly (Tabanus trigonus), biting midges (Culicoides schultzei) and blackfly (Simulium ornatum); and (2) parasites parasitic in the body of a host animal, such as, nematodes such as lung worms, whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), tuberous worm, gastric parasites, ascaris and filarioidea; tapeworms; flukes; and protozoa such as coccidia, malarial parasite (Plasmodium malariae), intestinal sarcocyst, Toxoplasma and cryptosporidium. Among these parasites, it is particularly effective against parasites parasitic in the body of a host animal, and among them, it is especially effective against protozoa. Further, among protozoa, it is particularly effective against coccidia. Further, among coccidia, it is most effective against coccidia parasitic on domestic poultry (such as fowls, ducks, geese or turkeys). The coccidia parasitic on domestic poultry include, for example, Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria brunetti, Eimeria maxima, Eimeria mitis, Eimeria mivati, Eimeria necatrix and Eimeria praecox. 
The compound of the formula (I) may be used as it is. However, it may be used as formulated together with a suitable vehicle into a formulation such as a powder, a granule, a tablet, a dusting powder, a capsule, a pre-mix, a solution or an emulsion. The suitable vehicle may be one which is commonly used as a feed additive, and it may, for example, be lactose, sucrose, glucose, starch, wheat powder, corn powder, soybean meal, degreased rice bran, calcium carbonate or other commercially available feed material. Further, the compound of the present invention can be used, together with a vehicle, in combination with various vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzyme drugs, antifebriles, sedatives, antiphlogistics, bactericides, colorants, aromatizing agents, preservatives, etc. The dose of the compound of the formula (I) varies depending upon the administration method, the purpose of administration, the diseased degree, etc. However, it is usually administered as mixed in a feed in a concentration of at least 0.1 ppm.
The compound of the above formula (I) may sometimes change to a compound of the formula (II): 
(wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined above). Such a compound of the formula (II) will also act as an agent for controlling animal diseases caused by parasites in the same manner as the compound of the formula (I) in the body of an animal.
The compound of the above formula (II) is disclosed as an intermediate of the compound of the formula (I) in JP-A-1-131163. This compound can be produced by e.g. the methods disclosed in e.g. JP-A-1-131163, JP-A-4-59766, JP-A-7-215946, JP-A-7-252233, JP-A-7-252234, JP-A-7-309843 and JP-A-8-225539.